Tournament Rules and Regulations
Kingston Hub Cup Soccer Tournament Rules and Regulations, 2024
1.0 Eligibility and Registration Requirements
1.1 All participating teams must be currently registered with their provincial, state or national
organization. All teams from outside the Southeast Ontario Soccer Association (SOSA) MUST
provide, no later than one week before the tournament date, an authorized travel permit from
their governing association. Any team from outside of Ontario must have proof of adequate
travel, injury, and liability insurance. The Tournament will not be liable for injuries to any
participant on or off the fields during the tournament. Please note that the Tournament
Committee reserves the right to place teams in appropriate divisions to ensure fair competition.
1.2 All teams must bring with them a copy of their official team roster validated by their
governing organization as well as player cards/books/digital cards. These must be presented at
the Tournament registration and kept available at each of the team’s games during the
Tournament. Failure to meet this requirement could result in sanctions including dismissal from
the Tournament and forfeit of the team entry fee. Team eligibility is restricted to "recreational"
registered teams.
1.3 No team will be considered officially registered until their entry fee payment, in full, has
been received. Any team that withdraws from the tournament after the registration deadline
will not be entitled to a refund of their entry fee. Team withdrawals prior to the deadline will be
entitled to a refund of entry fee minus a $100 administrative charge.
1.4 Team registration will be done online for submission of rosters, Travel Permit, etc. A team
official must check in at the tournament desk no later than one hour before their first game.
Players are not required to be present at check-in. The team manager/representative will be
required at have with them:
• a fully completed Tournament Roster form;
• authorized player books or cards for all players and coaches
• a copy of the team's official Team Roster validated by the team's governing body
(for presentation and inspection only);
• five completed tournament game sheets;
• guest player permits if applicable.
2.0 Team Roster
2.1 Team rosters will be limited to a maximum of eighteen (18) players and four (4) team
officials. Players may play on only ONE team during the tournament. The minimum number of
players who are required in order to commence or to continue a game is seven (7).
2.2 Teams are permitted to use up to three (3) guest players from other clubs. A Temporary
Registration Permit from the player’s District Association must be presented, at registration, for
each guest player.
4.0 Forfeits
A team which is unable to field seven players within ten minutes of the official start time will
forfeit the game unless a reason acceptable to the Tournament Committee can be presented.
The forfeited game will be recorded as a 2-0 win. If a team forfeits its last game of the roundrobin
series, all games played by that team will be declared void and all their opponents given a
2-0 win and 3 points.
5.0 Protests
All protests must be in writing and submitted with a $100 cash bond to the Tournament Control
Centre, within 30 minutes of the finish of the game to which the protest relates. The
Tournament Discipline Committee will rule on all protests and the cash deposit will be refunded
only if the protest is upheld.
All referee decisions are final. No protests will be allowed based on referee decisions.
6.0 Home Team
The team listed first on the schedule shall be considered the home team. If there is a colour
clash with team jerseys it will be the home team's responsibility to change colours. Each team
should have two sets of jerseys in anticipation of possible colour clashes. Each team must have
a suitable game ball available if required.
7.0 Duration of Games
All games will be 50 minutes (2 x 25), with a five minute halftime break. Tied games in quarter
finals and semi-finals shall go directly to a penalty shootout. Finals shall play two ten-minute
periods of extra time with Golden Goal, and if still tied, to a penalty shootout.
No team shall play more than three games in a single day (150 mins Saturday maximum, 170
mins Sunday maximum), and there will be a minimum of one hour between scheduled games
for a team.
8.0 Substitutions
Unlimited number of substitutions are allowed, but only at the following times, and with the
approval of the referee:
• when a goal is scored;
• at a goal kick;
• at the beginning of the second half;
• on a team's own throw in (opposing team can piggy back);
• for any injured player at the referee's discretion.
There will be no substitution allowed for a player ordered to leave the field by the referee as a
sending-off offence.
9.0 Tournament Standings
9.1 In round-robin competition, 3 points will be awarded for a win and 1 point for a tie. The
team with the most points will be declared first in round-robin competition, the team with the
next highest points second and so on. In the event of two teams finishing with the same
number of points, the following tie-breaking criteria will be used:
1. Winner of the game between the tied teams (in the case of two-way ties)
2. Fewest goals against
3. Best goal differential (goals for minus goals against)
4. Most goals scored
5. Coin toss
9.2 In a three way tie the above criteria (starting with #2) will be applied to identify the top
team from the three teams and then the remaining two way tie will be resolved by beginning at
criteria #1 again. In divisions with a “Wild Card” team in the semi-finals, the Wild Card team will
be the team with the next best record, across all pools, after the other three semi-finalists have
been determined. If there is a tie for the Wild Card spot the tie-breaking criteria listed above
will be applied.
9.3 The Tournament Committee, if deemed necessary, has the right to alter the format of the
tournament.
10.0 Discipline
If a player receives a red card, he/she will be ejected and automatically suspended for the next
game. A red card for violent conduct will result in a three game suspension. If a player receives
two yellow cards during the same game he/she will be ejected and suspended for the next
game. Three yellows during the tournament will result in a one game suspension. If a team
official is asked to leave the field of play, he/she will automatically receive a next game
suspension. All suspensions shall be disciplined as per the Ontario Soccer discipline policy and
shall be reported to the team’s home District Association and to Ontario Soccer (and/or
appropriate provincial association).
11.2 Should a team's Bench Staff/players and/or supporters become so unruly or abusive of the
Referee, Assistant Referees, or any Tournament Officials, before, during or after a game (even if
the Referee allowed the game to continue to its conclusion and/or even if the allegedly
offending team was leading or had won the game), the Tournament Discipline Committee may
declare the allegedly offending team to have lost the game by sideline misbehaviour. If the
game had not started, a score of 2-0 will be awarded to the opposing team. However, should
the game have started, the winning score will either be 2-0 or the existing score at the time
when the game was halted (whichever score is most favourable to the team that is being
awarded the win). The team that was declared to have lost by sideline misbehaviour may be
expelled from further play in the Tournament and, if so, all future, and previous, scheduled
opponents of the expelled team, will also be awarded 2-0 wins.
12.0 Equipment
Shin pads and proper uniform attire are mandatory. ‘Hard’ casts, even if wrapped, are not
permitted. Referees have final determination over issues involving potentially ‘unsafe’
equipment (eyeglasses, ‘soft’ casts, etc.).
13.0 Game Sheets
Both teams must submit their completed game sheets to the referee prior to kick-off. Players'
uniform numbers must correspond to numbers/names on the game sheet.
14.0 Match Officials
Ontario Soccer registered match officials will be used for all games at a rate of $30 for referees,
and $20 for assistant referees (where used) per game.
15.0 Tournament Committee
15.1 The Tournament Committee will be responsible for team acceptances, tournament format,
game scheduling, and assignment of referees.
15.2 The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the
tournament.
15.3 The Tournament Committee reserves the right to rule on all matters pertaining to the
tournament, including interpretation of the forgoing rules and regulations.
15.4 The Tournament Committee reserves the right to change the format of the tournament
due to unforeseeable circumstances.
15.5 The Greater Kingston Senior Soccer Association shall not be responsible for any expenses
incurred by any team if the Tournament is cancelled or shortened.